Washing machine



Dec. 3, 1940. 1 RUDE ETYAL 2,223,578

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 3, 1940. s.RUDE El'AL 2.223578 WASHING MACHINE Filed July 19, 19:57 6 Sheets-Sheet2 Hlll I Dec. 3, 1940. s. IIQUDE ETAL 2,223,578

wAsHI'NG MACHINE Filed July 19, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 w zg WASHINGMACHINE Filed July 19, 1957 6 Sheecs-Sheet 4 Dec. 3, 1940.

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Filed July 19, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 5 p yar 07:5:-

Dec. 3, 1940. s. RUDE ETAL WASHING MACHINE Filed July 19, 1937 6Sheets-Sheet 6 ga /2w Patented Dec. 3, 1940 WASHING Sylvester assignorsto American poi-ation of Illinois Application July 19, 1

i 3 Claims.

Our invention relates'to apparatus for washingpots, pans, pails andsimilar utensils.

Our invention relates more particularly to apparatus for washingopen-ended vessels such as pails or similar vessels of the type that areused inlarge numbers in canning factories and similar'places.

In the canning and handling of food products in canning factories, alarge number of openended Vessels such as pails or buckets are ordi-'narily used to handle the materials being canned or preserved. In viewof the sanitary conditions under which food products must be canned orpreserved, it is both necessary and desirable at all times to have foodhandling vessels that are spotlessly clean and sanitary. Accordingly,the principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvedmechanism for washing and sterilizing open-ended vessels such as kettlesor pails.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a' mechanism ofthe type described whereby a large number of open-ended vessels maybewashed by being passed through the washing machine in a continuous line.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedmechanism of the type described capable of acting upon a plurality ofopen-ended vessels simultaneously and provided with a supply of steamand cold water so distributed in the washing machine that eachindividual vessel, as it is passing through the machine, receivesindividual attention from the various jets at the various stationsthroughout the machine. 7

A further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangementof supplies of steam and cold water so arranged that individualopen-ended containers that are passed through the machine are subjectedto a series of washing and scalding operations whereby each vessel iscompletely washed both on the inside and the outside, completelysterilized by a bath of steam, 'and then subjected to a cold, finalrinsing operation whereby any and all types of bacteria which may beassociated with the container, will be killed during the above mentionedprocess.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a machine of theclass described that is easily and simply'constructed, that iscomparatively small in size so that it takes up as little room asnecessary in a canningf-actory and yet is highly efiicient in operationand capable of washing a maximum number of open-ended ves- MACHiNE Rudeand Pearl L. Miller, Kokomo, Ind,

Utensil Company, a cor- 937, Serial No. 154,434 (01. 141-7 sels in acontinuous operationat a comparatively fast rate of speed.

' A further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangementof supplies of cold water and steam whereby at various stationsthroughout the machine-a supply of cold water, hot water or steam isprovided, as desired. 7

. A further object of theinvention is to provide an improved mechanismof the class described, so constructed that only two operators arerequired to operate the same, these operators being a person to feed theopen-ended vessels in a continuous stream into theopen end of themachine, and a second person to remove the completely washed, scaldedandrinsed vessels.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the followingdescription wherein reference is had to the accompanying six sheets ofdrawings upon which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of our improvedwashing machine, taken from the side upon which the water and steamsupply is located;

Fig. 2 is' a fragmentary plan sectional view taken generally on thelines 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is'an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of one of thespray nozzles employed in our machine;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the outlet disk provided for eachnozzle;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan sectional view through our improvedmachine, taken directly above the horizontal rack upon which thecontainers are placed, and is taken generally on the lines 5-5 of Fig. 1t

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view through one of the spray nozzlesused upon the outside of the container to wash the bracket to which thebale of the container is connected, and is taken generally on the line6-45 of Fig. 7;

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view through the washing machine, takengenerally on the line 1- 1ofFig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a similar sectional line 8-8 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 9 is alongitudinal sectional view through the machine takengenerally on the line9 -9 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of our improved washing machine which we haveillustrated, we provide a supporting structure formed generally of thefour corner posts I0 which extend upwardly to a point adiacentthe top ofthe housing, 12. The housing [2 supports thereabove a cover member l4adapted to rest upon suitable cross-angle members l6 connected to thetop of the uprights l0.

view taken on the The cover member I4 may have upwardly tapering wallsI8 which connect with a vent pipe 28 located centrally of the machineand through which excess steam and other vapors may escape. The housingI2 is adapted to be formed of sheet metal and includes the front andrear end walls 22 and 24 and the side walls 26 and 28. The housing maybe generally divided into connecting compartments 3.8, 32 and 34 andhave the reinforcing angle members 36 to rigidly support the same.

The bottom of the housing is formed with a drain pan 38 provided with adownwardly-sloping dished-bottom which is pipe 40 centrally of the sameThe drain pan 38 may have the extensions #2 and '44 extending aconsiderable distance beyond each end of the housing I2. Suitablecross-braces 46, connected to the uprights I0, extend diagonally to, apoint below the pan 38 and are rigidly connected to supporting anglemembers 48. The end walls 22 and 24 of the housing I2 are each providedwith a similarly shaped opening 58 adapted to generally conform to theoutline of the open-ended vessel which it is desired to wash. In theembodiment shown, this takes the shape of a common form of open-endedvessel, such as an ordinary pail.

Within the housing I2 and extending in both directions through theopenings 58 in the end walls .22 and 24, we provide a pair of parallellydisposed rod members 52 supported at the ends of the housing by suitablerod portions 54 connected to horizontal angle members 56 secured on theoutside of the end Walls-22 and 24. We also provide a pair of parallelspaced side rod members 58 fastened in a generally similar manner to theend walls 22 and 24. Directly below the upper edge of the openings 58 inthe end walls, we provide a pair of parallel guide rods 60 supportedfrom the horizontal angle members 62 and 84, secured to the end walls 22and 24.

With the three sets of support and guide rods thus disposed in aparallel relation and extending through the housing I2, it will beapparent that a supporting and guiding rack has been provided so thatthe pails P placed thereon may be moved forward and passed through themachine in a straight and continuous line.

As thus far explained, we have provided a mechanism including a closedhousing with an inlet and an outlet opening, with guide rodstherethrough, with a top including a vent and a bottom pan portionincluding a drain. It will thus be apparent that by introducing pailsthrough the inlete opening and pushing them along in a row they willpass over and between a plurality of fixed jets located within thehousing I2.

The cleansing medium which we employ for the purpose of washing vesselspassing through the machine, is water and steam. For this purpose weprovide a supply conduit 66 extending from a source of cold water. Aconduit may be provided with a manually operated valve 68 and aT-mernber 18 by means of which a'smaller conduit I2 may be connected tothe same. The conduit 12 may be provided with a hand valve I4 and extenddownwardly to a point adjacent the lower part of the housing I2 where itconnects with a horizontal pipe I4 that extends to a longitudinal pipe16 extending from the rear to the front of the machine. A T 18 isprovided adjacent the front of the machine to connect a conduit whichextends to a point centrally of the provided with a drain machinebetween the lower support bars 52. A vertically positioned spray nozzle82 is connected to the pipe 80. We provide an elbow 84 at the rear endof conduit 16 to connect a pipe 86 that is provided with a similarvertically disposed spray nozzle 82.

We provide a steam conduit 98 connected to a suitable source of steamunder pressure. The conduit 90 is provided with a hand valve 92, a T 94,and a smaller conduitffifi extending at right ,angles from the T 94 andpassing into the housing I2 at a point generally near the bottom of thesame and adjacent the rear or outlet end of the machine. The conduit 96is provided with a hand valve 98 and is connected at its lower end to ahorizontal pipe 99 which extends to a point centrally between the lowerguide and support rods 52. The conduit '91 is provided with a verticallydisposed spray nozzle I08 positioned below and centrally between theguide rods 52. 1

Water conduit 86 and the steam conduit 90 are adapted to be connectedbelow the conduits-I2 and 96 respectively to a suitable mixing chamberI02. The mixing chamber may be of any :suitable or desirableconstructionyso provided that cold water and steam can be mixed togetherunder pressure with the result that hot water is formed thereby. The hotwater thus formed may travel downwardly through a suitable hot waterconduit I84 to a point adjacent the lower end ofthe housing I2 and passthrough a horizontal conduit IIIIi to a T member I08. The T member I88is located centrally below the guide rods 52 and has the oppositelydirected conduits I I II andI I2 extending therefrom. Each of theconduits is provided with a vertically disposed spray nozzle between thelower guiderods 52.

Conduits H8 and H8 may continue outwardly in both directions and beconnected with suitable cross-conduits I20 and I22 which extend toapoint adjacent the side walls of the housing I2 and connect withvertical conduits I24 and I26 that are provided with spray nozzles I 28at their upper ends.

With the construction and arrangement of cold and hot water, and steampipes described, it will be obvious that the interior of the pails Pthat are passing through the machine will be first sub-' jected to acold water spray, and then, at a plurality of spaced stations, to a hotwater bath, followed by a spray of steam, and 'a final cold waterrinsing as'the' pails/pass out of the machine.

Means are also provided for washing the pail bottom and outsidesurfaces. These means include the nozzles I28 which are so located thatsame will be directed upon the pail handle brackets I38, and will thuseffectively rinse these parts which are usually exceedingly dirty anddifiicult to wash in any other manner.

A conduit I32 may extend horizontally on the outside of the machine froma T-member I34 in the conduit a short pipe member I36. to a horizontalpipe I38 which lies within the washing housing. The pipe I84. The pipeI32 is connected byv I38 is provided with a plurality of horizontalmembers I42 to which similar nozzles 82 are connected. In order toprovide similarly'disposed nozzles 82 adjacent the opposite wall of theinachine, we provide the cross-pipe I connected to a horizontal pipe I46which carries similar nozzles 82 directly across the machine from thepreviously mentioned nozzles in the pipeline I38.

From'the description of the foregoing mechanism, it' will be apparentthat applicants thus provide a plurality of nozzles located at spacedstations above the path of the pails so that the bottom and sidesthereof will receive a thorough hot water drenching while the pails arepassing through the machine.

In Figs. 3 and 4, we have shown enlarged views of the nozzle members 82.Each of these nozzles may comprise a flared housing 82:]. connected by asuitable threaded portion upon the end of a conduit. We provide a fiatclosure member 82b positioned in the end of the nozzle and held in placeby a screwed 0n collar member 830. The closure member is provided with aplurality of openings 83d of an escape so that as water or steam isforced outwardly through the openings under pressure, it will have aswirling motion and tend to cover a greater area and with a finer mistthan if the nozzle werenot so constructed.

In Fig. 6, we have shown one of the nozzles I28. These nozzles may beformed with a cylindrical body portion |28a provided with a threaded endto e gage in a suitable elbow or the conduit to which the same isattached. We provide a comparatively small outlet passageway [28bconnecting with a triangularly-shaped opening I280. The purpose ofmakingthis particular nozzle in the manner shown, is to provide a directspray of considerable force at the handle hinges I30 of the pail, aspreviously mentioned. By thus directing the spray in the manner sought,the handle and the side of the pail is given a very thorough washingwith the cleaning medium.

From the above and foregoing description it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that a comparatively simple, yet highly efficientwashing machine of the type described has been provided. It will beobvious that with the cleaning fluid passing through the cleaningnozzles in the manner described, the only necessity of operators is toplace the pails into the end of the machine in the desired position andto take them out as they are pushed out of the outlet end of themachine. It will be apparent that a large number of utensils may bewashed in a continuous stream and with a minimum of waste of thecleaning medium.

While we have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of ourinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changesand modifications may be made in the exact details shown and we do notwish to limit ourselves in any particular. Rather, what we desire tosecure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for washing open-ended buckets comprising a longitudinalhorizontally disposed box-shaped housing having .a drain pantherebeneath, an inlet opening at one end of said housing. an outletopening at the other end, parallel horizontally disposed pairs of upper,lower and side rods extending through said housing defining a spacethrough which buckets may pass, a cold water pipe and a steam pipeextending to said housing, extension pipes from said cold water pipe,nozzles in said extensions, one located between and below said lowerrods adjacent the inlet opening and one located between and below thelower rods adjacent the outlet opening of the housing, an extension pipefrom said steam pipe, a nozzle in said extension located between andbelow said lower rods spaced from the outlet opening of the housing, apipe line connecting said steam and water pipes beyond the extensionstherein, a mixing chamber in said pipe line wherein the steam and coldwater form hot water, a pipe leading from said chamber into saidhousing, branch pipes leading therefrom and nozzles positioned in'saidbranch pipes at spaced intervals between and below said lower rods,above said upper rods and on the sides of said upper rods whereby anopen ended inverted bucket passing through the housing will be sprayedinside with cold water and then inside and outside with hot water, theinside being additionally sprayed with steam and lastly with cold water.

2. Apparatus for washing open-ended buckets having bale brackets uponopposite sides, comprising a longitudinal box-shaped housing having adrain pan therebeneath, an inlet opening at one end of said housing, anoutlet opening at the other end, parallel horizontally disposed pairs ofupper, lower and side rods extending through said housing defining aspace through which buckets may pass, a cold water pipe and a steam pipeextending to said housing, extension pipes from said cold water pipe,nozzles in said extensions, one located between and below said lowerrods adjacent the inlet opening and one located between and below thelower rods adjacent the outlet opening of the housing, an extension pipefrom said steam pipe, a nozzle in said extension located between andbelow said lower rodsspaced from the outlet opening of the housing, apipe line connecting said steam and water pipes beyond the extensionstherein, a mixing chamber in said pipe line wherein the steam and coldwater form hot water, a pipe leading from said chamber into saidhousing, branch pipes leading therefrom and nozzles positioned in saidbranch pipes at spaced intervals between and below said lower rods,above said upper rods and on the sides of said upper rods with othernozzles positioned on the sides of said side rods directed against thepath of the bale brackets on the buckets whereby an open ended invertedbucket passing through the housing will be sprayed inside with coldwater and then inside and outside with hot water, the inside beingadditionally sprayed with steam and lastly with cold water.

3. Apparatus for washing open-ended buckets comprising a longitudinalbox-shaped housing having a drain pan therebeneath, an inlet opening atone end of said housing, an outlet opening at the other end, bothopenings defining a space slightly larger than the buckets to be washed,parallel horizontally disposed pairs. of upper, lower and side rodsextending through said housing defining a space through which bucketsmay pass, a cold water pipe and a steam pipe extending to said housing,extension pipes from said cold water pipe, nozzles in said extensions,one located between and below said lower rods adjacent the inlet openingand one located between and below the lower rods adjacent the outletopening of the housing, an extension pipe from said steam pipe, a nozzlein said extension located between and below said lower rods spaced fromthe outlet opening of the housing, a pipe line connecting said steam andwater pipes beyond the extensions therein, a mixing chamber in said pipeline wherein the steam and cold water form hot water, a pipe leadingfrom said ing will bespray edinside with cold water and chamber intosaid housing, branch pipes leading then inside and outside with hotwater, the 'intherefrom and nozzles positioned in said branch side beingadditionally sprayed with steam and pipes at spaced intervals betweenand below lastly With'cold water. said lower rods, above said upper rodsand on ,SYLVESTER RUDE. 6 the sides of said upper rods whereby an openPEARL L. MILLER; ended inverted bucket passing through the hous- I I on

